Bosnia: US Open champion Emma Raducanu eased into the Transylvania Open quarter-finals with a controlled 6-3 6-4 win over home favourite Ana Bogdan in the second round on Thursday.
Raducanu followed up her maiden WTA Tour win over Polona Hercog — a battling three-set victory on Tuesday — with a much improved performance against Bogdan and looked steady on serve, winning 87.5% of her first serve points.
“It was so good to play a Romanian here. All the volunteers who go into making this tournament possible, we really appreciate their support. Ana was a great opponent,” Raducanu said after the match.
“It’s definitely taking me some time to find my feet still. I’m taking some learnings from every match I play. I still don’t think I’m the finished product yet.”
Raducanu, who announced herself on the grandest stage when she claimed the Flushing Meadows title as a qualifier last month, added that she has gifted her U.S. Open trophy to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
“I just thought the LTA had done so much for me and I just wanted them to have it as a sign for everything they had done for me. It’s a little gift,” the British number one said.
Raducanu will next face 19-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
RADUCANU GIFTS US OPEN TO LTA
Emma Raducanu has revealed she has presented her US Open trophy to the Lawn tennis Association as a “little gift”in recognition of their role in her development.
The British number one, 18, became the first British woman to win a singles Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade’s 1977 Wimbledon triumph with her stunning run from qualifying to victory at Flushing Meadows in the summer, but she has not held on to the hardware.
“It’s stored at the National Tennis Centre I’m pretty sure in London,” Raducanu said late Thursday after beating Ana Bogdan to reach the quarterfinals at the Transylvania Open.
“It’s not at home. If you want to see it, it’s at the NTC. I just thought that the LTA have done so much for me I just wanted them tohave it as a sign and a big thank you for everything that they’ve done for me helping me through the young ages.
“They played a huge role in my development so it’s a little gift.” — Reuters/dpa
